Special educators assume an essential leadership role in school-wide multilayered instructional systems for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse learners with and without disabilities, including learners at risk of being inappropriately referred for special education. Research findings from a model demonstration project are presented…

When teachers wonder "What should I do?" in response to challenging student behaviors, the answers are not as simple as they might seem. What teachers can do also depends, at least in part, on external demands (e.g., discipline codes, principal expectations, time pressures on teaching content and testing) that can either facilitate or…

Early identification of student behavioral needs allows educators the opportunity to apply appropriate interventions before negative behaviors become more intensive and persistent. A variety of screening tools are available to identify which students are at risk for persistent behavior problems in school. This article provides two examples in…

With over 14,000 schools implementing Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS), it is important to consider factors that contribute to effective implementation--which may affect student outcomes. Social validity is one factor that may influence implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which…

This project study addressed the problem of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) at a public suburban high school in the Northeast United States. The study school implemented the Anti-bullying Program in September 2011, yet no evaluation had been conducted on whether the program was meeting its goals. Two conceptual frameworks that drove…

School-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SW-PBIS) can effectively reduce problem behaviors and simultaneously increase pro-social behaviors in general education settings. SW-PBIS is not a "packaged" intervention, but a framework through which schools create systemic changes for promoting expected behaviors, while also…

This purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of positive behavior interventions and support (PBIS) in a summer camp. The camp provided physical activity opportunities to underserved children attending a summer program at a local, rural public school. Certified physical education teachers led activity stations. Participants in…

In this study, the authors used a single subject A-B-A design to investigate the effectiveness of Self-Modeling Narratives (SMNs) as a behavioral intervention for two students diagnosed as having a learning disability and one with a developmental delay. SMNs are personalized stories that explain a situation and then use the student to demonstrate…

The use of positive reinforcement sometimes gets lost in translation because educators forget the importance of acknowledging good behaviors. We instinctively tend to punish and give consequences because we often forget the importance of preventing undesired behaviors from occurring in the first place. More efforts should be spent on maintaining…

A number of initiatives in special education have occurred in the United States over the years, some mandated by amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Having a working knowledge of these initiatives allows music educators to have informed discussions with colleagues and parents and participate more fully in Individualized…

Evidence-based practices for children with disabilities have empirical support for their effectiveness; however, the demographics of participants making up the evidence base are generally unknown, leaving generalizability of the evidence unclear. This study presents a systematic literature review of participant racial and socioeconomic…

This study examined the effects of instruction, delivered in a special education classroom, to improve classroom behaviors and support the emergence of social skills in an inclusive classroom for two fourth grade male students with behavioral concerns. The intervention consisted of peer mentoring, interactive social narratives, video modeling and…

Often, social behavior problems in children can be prevented or ameliorated with systematic efforts. One such system that is increasing across the United States is Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support, a tiered system that implements a response-to-intervention approach informed by data-driven decisions and teams that tailor key elements to their…

The purpose of this study was to explore the direct and indirect effects of SWPBIS on high school dropout. This study uses structural equation modeling to describe the web of relationships among important high school level outcomes and SWPBIS in a sample of 883 high schools from 37 states. Results suggest that SWPBIS has statistically significant…

A teacher serves many important roles within a classroom, including an educator and a manager of child behavior. Inattention, overactivity, and noncompliance have long been cited as some of the most common areas of reported difficulty for schools (Axelrod & Zank, 2012; Goldstein, 1995). The evidence-based practice of positive attending (i.e.,…